Question: How did a federal union rank the economy of the country where Franzi Aufdenblatten was born?
Context: Document 1: Federalism: Until recently, in the absence of prior agreement on a clear and precise definition, the concept was thought to mean (as a shorthand) 'a division of sovereignty between two levels of government'. New research, however, argues that this cannot be correct, as dividing sovereignty - when this concept is properly understood in its core meaning of the final and absolute source of political authority in a political community - is not possible. The descent of the United States into Civil War in the mid-nineteenth century, over disputes about unallocated competences concerning slavery and ultimately the right of secession, showed this. One or other level of government could be sovereign to decide such matters, but not both simultaneously. Therefore, it is now suggested that federalism is more appropriately conceived as 'a division of the powers flowing from sovereignty between two levels of government'. What differentiates the concept from other multi-level political forms is the characteristic of equality of standing between the two levels of government established. This clarified definition opens the way to identifying two distinct federal forms, where before only one was known, based upon whether sovereignty resides in the whole (in one people) or in the parts (in many peoples): the federal state (or federation) and the federal union of states (or federal union), respectively. Leading examples of the federal state include the United States, Germany, Canada, Switzerland, Australia and India. The leading example of the federal union of states is the European Union.
Document 2: Switzerland: The World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report currently ranks Switzerland's economy as the most competitive in the world, while ranked by the European Union as Europe's most innovative country. For much of the 20th century, Switzerland was the wealthiest country in Europe by a considerable margin (by GDP – per capita). In 2007 the gross median household income in Switzerland was an estimated 137,094 USD at Purchasing power parity while the median income was 95,824 USD. Switzerland also has one of the world's largest account balances as a percentage of GDP.
Document 3: Fränzi Aufdenblatten: Born in Zermatt, Valais, Aufdenblatten made her World Cup debut in March 2000 in a giant slalom at Sestriere. She scored four podium finishes on the World Cup: one win in a super-G in Val-d'Isère in December 2009, and three third places in downhill at Haus im Ennstal (2004), Bad Kleinkirchheim (2006), and Lenzerheide (2014). Aufdenblatten competed in three Winter Olympics (2002, 2006 and 2014) and her best finish was a sixth place in the 2014 super-G at Rosa Khutor.
Document 4: Alps: Some high mountain villages, such as Avoriaz (in France), Wengen, and Zermatt (in Switzerland) are accessible only by cable car or cog-rail trains, and are car free. Other villages in the Alps are considering becoming car free zones or limiting the number of cars for reasons of sustainability of the fragile Alpine terrain.
Answer: Europe's most innovative country
Reasoning steps: Fränzi Aufdenblatten >> place of birth Answer: Zermatt
Where are the villages of Wengen and Zermatt located? Answer: Switzerland
What is an example of a federal union? Answer: the European Union
How did the European Union rank #2 's economy? Answer: Europe's most innovative country